Getting Passed it
by CJ Cregg 5544
Summary: CJ has just accepted a job as COS. Because of her new position, she has lost touch with some of her old friends. Including a possible love interest, Danny. Or has she?...
1. Caller ID

MONDAY NIGHT.

It was evening in the white house and the sun had just set over the capital building. She stared out the window and in her mind, heard her phone ringing. She looked to see, who the message was from: Danny.

Oh great.

Her heart was pounding in her ears. Her mind was saying: _'Don't call him back'_ but her heart was saying something different. Her mind was screaming louder than her heart however, and reason prevailed. She glanced one last time at the message on her phone and sighed.

She picked up her car keys to her 65 blue Mustang and quickly exited through the north west lobby door, her high heels tapping loudly on the floor.

CJ quickly eased her car out of the gate after having said goodnight to the security guard. She turned down her radio and started to drive even faster, unaware of the tears falling down her cheeks. She couldn't wait to see his name in the morning paper.

TUESDAY MORNING: 5 AM

Having quickly dressed, in her light blue Armani suit she sighed and set about making herself some coffee. While the coffee was percolating, she quickly checked outside her apartment door and saw a fresh copy of the Washington post.

"Yes!" her heart screamed "it's his paper"

As she unfolded the grey pages and smelled the fresh ink, her heart skipped a beat. She went through the contents of the paper, finding his name in a byline of an article relating to the Iran Nuclear Weapons Program.

She was then aware of her phone ringing again in her bedroom. She dropped the paper haphazardly next to her coffee mug, and ran to answer the phone. Her caller ID screen said: POTUS. She immediately picked up the phone and said:

"Good Morning Sir, You should still be in bed, it's 5 in the morning."

She had assumed the responsibility of being his chief of staff only two months earlier, and was beginning to act like his wife, Abby. Though she shared the president's love for making a foreign policy deal, it was 5 in the morning...and she was tired. And she couldn't seem to stop thinking about that special someone who had given her a fish a few years ago, by the name of Gale.

The president continued, "Did you see Danny's story this morning? It's going to make trouble."

"Yes sir"

"We need you to come in as soon as you can," he stated matter-of-factly.

"Very good sir, I'll be right over"

Groaning and complaining, she decided to take the paper with her to work, and read his whole story. He was now in a different part of Washington, covering President Bartlett's news from home. He no longer frequented the press bullpens and frankly, CJ missed him. In fact, that was an understatement. She had never really professed her love for him as it could be a danger to her job. But she didn't care anymore. She would call him tonight and make sure he knew. Her heart would finally triumph over her worried mind. But for now, she had to deal with the humdrum of Iranian missiles and a press story gone awry.


	2. Operator

TUESDAY NIGHT.

CJ was exhausted. She had sifted through many cartons of briefing memos on Iran's Nuclear Program at the president's behest. She was in fact drafting a statement to give to Annabeth and Toby, the new press secretaries. In such a physical state, she had hardly had a spare thought for Danny.

Nonetheless, she was dreading yet somewhat anticipating the phone call she must make. CJ was resolved to call Danny and finally let him know what her true feelings were.

The young businesswoman stared at the phone, feeling the minutes tick by. Her heart had begun thumping so loudly she was almost sure it would fly out of her chest at any given moment. She reached a trembling hand towards the receiver; unable to ignore the swarming butterflies in her stomach as she dialed the phone. She had memorized his number by heart.

Three rings and an answering machine saying: "You have reached Danny Cancannon, if it's an emergency, try me on my pager at 655 3210. Thanks."

Well this was an emergency! At least to her….

She dialed the pager number and he answered right away.

"Cancannon."

This would clearly be off the record she decided.

"I wanna run something by you…privately," she added.

"Of course…It's 7 o'clock on a Tuesday night and I'm not even writing a story. I'm at a bar."

"With a girl?" she asked, unable to hide the surprise in her voice.

He chuckled. "No, just sitting and enjoying a beer all by lonesome."

She decided to cut to the chase. "What would you do if somebody told you they loved you?"

There was a pause on the other line. "Depends on who it is…" came his hesitant reply.

CJ chose her words carefully, "How about a friend from the old days?"

"Are you asking me out?" Came Danny's teasing reply "Because I couldn't quite hear you…there was a bit of static on the other line."

"Oh no, not that trick again." CJ groaned "I'm not repeating myself so you better have heard me through the static the first time."

"Well then, I'm assuming you either asked me out – or perhaps professed your undying love for me."

"The latter," she replied coolly, maintaining her business like air.

"You? With the danger's to your job and all?" The humor in his voice was now gone, replaced completely by shock and disbelief.

"Screw the danger's! I love you Danny Cancannon"

There was a pause on the other line as Danny fumbled the phone. It was a minute or two before he responded –

"Took ya long enough…"


	3. Hail to the Press

WENSDAY MORNING

The phone call had been successful. The conversation had ended with a soft click and a promise to speak again. Now the phone was ringing at 4:00 am in her apartment near the White House. CJ glanced at the Caller ID screen: POTUS. Struggling to force cheer into her voice, she answered the phone with a groggy hello

"Good Morning Sir. What Can I do for you?" she asked in polite tones

"Something terrible has happened. We need you here right away."

"Yes sir, right away." she intoned anxiously.  
The conversation ended abruptly as CJ slammed down the phone and scrambled to get dressed.

Later That Day: Situation Room

Someone was saying: "Sir a C 131 carrying some members of the press corps was shot down in Teheran, the capital city of Iran. A Syrian terrorist group, by the name of Freedom Fighters is claiming responsibility for the attack

Bartlett asked, "How many dead?"

"At least 50 sir and counting."

Bartlett sighed "All right, options?"

"Operation Arabian Nights is ready to go on your order."

"Two B-1 Bombers would deploy out of Andrews. The projected target is a federal building that controls intelligence. Possible Causalities is 50 at most."

"When do I give the order?" intoned the president solemnly.

"Whenever you're ready sir."

"Go get the press boys."

When CJ first heard the news about the plane, she was shocked. In an earlier conversation with Danny, CJ remembered him mentioning that he was going to Iran to cover the new president's election for the Post. She screamed as she realized that he was on the plane that had been shot down.

CJ let out a soft sob. He had promised her a first date when he returned but now it looked as though they would never get that chance.

She ran to the office and sat in her chair, no longer able to restrain her emotions. There was nothing she could do now except pray: "Dear God I never asked you for anything...But I'm asking you now. Please watch over Danny and keep him safe. Allow me to love him and keep him forever. Allow me to experience love for the first time."

CJ beat her fist on the desktop and screamed "Why me?"


	4. Helping Hand

THUMP

Bartlett was awakened from his deep sleep by the thumping in his chief of staff's office. He immediately rushed in and inquired after CJ; who, he realized after a moment, was incapacitated with grief. He rushed back to his office and refilled his glass pitcher which he had had repaired with cold water and dashed it over her face, taking care not to splash it over her light blue suit.

She didn't wake up…and wasn't breathing.

Bartlett panicked and telephoned his wife Abby from CJ's office. He described the situation to her and she came down from the residence without delay. After donning her stethoscope and checking for a heart beat and pulse…she reported that she could find none. CJ was in a deep state of shock, possibly dead. Bartlett reached for the phone to dial 911.

As soon as he contacted the first response team, he yelled "Code Blue, my chief of staff needs immediate medical attention." While he was waiting for a response on the other line, he got a couple of staffers to make an impromptu stretcher for CJ and they wheeled her out into the open air. He had left Abby standing by the phone just in case they picked up.

CJ opened her eyes for a fleeting second, allowing a single tear to roll down her cheek. Painful realizations of where she was and what had happened seemed to hit her all at once. Bartlett hollered back to Abby, "She's alright! We're good." Then, turning to CJ he said "My, Claudia Jean! You gave us quite a scare." He offered her a hand to help her off the stretcher and back to her office.

Bartlett noticed however, a slight limp and very puffy eyes. "You look terrible," he said. "You should go home"

"Oh no sir, I'll just have Carol bring me some clothes from my apartment." She hollered at Carol, whom she realized had left to work for Toby.

She picked up the extension cord in her office and dialed the number.

Carol picked up and gently reminded her that she had her own assistant named Margarette. CJ laughed and hung up the phone, feeling 100 better than before.

That is…until she saw the daily news.

The news caster showed pictures of the aircraft, shooting up in flames. As she viewed the images CJ found that she could no longer hold herself together. Bartlett heard this and ran into her office, surprised at the sudden change in demeanor. Unsure of what else to do, he reached forward and pulled her into a tight embrace. A few moments passed as CJ sobbed into the shoulder of the man she had come to view as a father. Bartlett whispered softly in her ear, "You'll get him back…I promise." With those words he left the office, closing the door with a click.


	5. A New Prospective

A New Prospective

Danny woke up in the hospital and immediately relived everything that had just happened

After talking with CJ, he drove his blue Corvette to the airport, with a feeling of dread in his mind. He waited for his flight number to called and read a book on presidential politics. When he finished he got up and saw that his flight was delayed. Danny pulled his laptop out of the case and did some research for his story. He heard his name somewhere in the distance and looked up to find CJ standing there. She was holding a cup of coffee in her hand and extended her arm to hand the steaming brown liquid.

"Thanks." he said smiling up at her. He was suddenly aware of people whispering and staring coldly at him. Danny became slightly annoyed. He was grateful when he heard his flight number being called, "Flight number 62601 to Teheran is now boarding. As he boarded he pulled out another book and began reading. He remembered that moment decently now. It happened around page 150. The plane started to shake and it got very hot. Then everything faded. The last thing on his mind was CJ.


End file.
